Even though Barry didn’t turn out to be as bad as many people feared, it still caused damage in several Louisiana parishes. Now, the state of Louisiana is asking the federal government to help pay for the costs of preparing for the storm and post-storm cleanup.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards asked President Donald Trump to declare Barry a major disaster. The letter says the state and local governments have been overwhelmed by the $17 million cost of preparing for and recovering from Barry, and that they need help from the federal government.
If Trump agrees, FEMA would reimburse the state for about 75 percent of most of those expenses.
The public assistance would apply, in different capacities, to the following parishes: Allen, Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, West Feliciana, and Vermillion.
There is no timeline associated with the major disaster request.
This disaster declaration is separate from the emergency declarations that were signed during the storm.
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